The Folly of Basch fon Ronsenburg
by Redundant Goddess
Summary: How could anyone fault Basch for being weak, and wanting to give in so entirely to such an endearing creature?
1. 1

Disclaimer: Rose are red, and scarlet too. I own nothing here, so please don't sue!

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**The Folly of Basch fon Rosenburg**

(I)

_Somewhere over Dalmasca aboard the Dreadnought Leviathan..._

As Basch stood firm on the ship, he could not believe the luck that he possessed, or rather the lack of it. Why the gods deemed it so entertaining to torture him in such cruel and unusual ways, he did not know. Yet, to his shame, Basch could not deny that he had enjoyed every minute. In his mind, such dalliances and indulgences were supposed to be well and truly beneath him. Even if he was a publicly disgraced traitor, he saw no reason to abandon his knightly principles. And yet no matter how hard Basch had tried to rid himself of such rash desires, he was only a man, and men were weak. What little self control he had gained over the years simply melted away in her presence.

For Penelo was truly astounding. Perhaps not in the conventional sense of the word, yet there was a definite 'something' about the girl that could easily warm even the most frozen of hearts. Hard to define and difficult to quantify, but it was definitely there.

Perhaps it was the way she held herself? Perhaps it was the way she spoke; - even if she held a common inflection- or perhaps the way she looked at people? Perhaps it was a combination of these things and more, but what ere' it maybe, the fact remained that Penelo had a certain grace about her that one could not fail to miss.

Or at least Basch certainly thought so.

It was not the Regal grace of a Princess that came from years of breeding and royal blood, nor was it the other worldly grace that Fran and, undoubtedly, all other Viera seemed to possess. No, Penelo held the kind of grace that came as naturally to her as rays of light from the sun. It was honest. Honest, but gentle. Basch could not think of two words that were ner' so perfect to describe a person as such Penelo.

Even in their first moments together aboard the Leviathan, after the impromptu rescue of Lady Ashe and subsequently Penelo, Basch could tell she was a strong, will-full, but cordial person. And whilst she had been captured by that foul bounty hunter and then taken into the custody of an Heir Arcadia, both experiences had not shaken Penelo. For such a seemingly slight girl, the blonde seemed, even then, to be made of sterner stuff.

Basch knew from the moment she joined the group, that he would become very fond of the girl.

Most surprisingly she did not bare any grudges towards the somewhat morally bankrupt Sky Pirate Balthier nor to Rek's foolhardy younger brother, Vaan. Even if both men were partly responsible for her capture in the first place. Although once safely aboard the Strahl, Basch had, by sheer coincidence of course, overheard Penelo scold her childhood friend for not coming to her aide sooner. And by the gods, what a scolding she had given the poor lad.

For all her calm and gentle ways, the girl certainly had a wicked tongue and a temper to match when push came to shove. As everyone, including Basch, had found out one way or another during their travels. Whilst the Princess's temper could be unpleasant and Fran's reprimands somewhat harsh, being on the receiving end of Penelo's ungodly wrath was something to be feared by friend and foe alike.

The older man did not think it possible for such a delightful creature to harbour such a ferocious streak, but then Penelo was never short of surprises. And Penelo was certainly full of surprises when it came to battle.

Whilst certainly not the strongest, nor the most experienced, what Penelo lacked she certainly made up for in determination, speed and Majgicks. Even if the small blonde truly had the healers touch, those very same hands could cast the most devastating spells. And if she was too drained to cast, then her skills with a small blade or crossbow were not to be taken for granted. Skills that Basch himself had helped develop with some considerable pride. Penelo, the little dancer from Low Town, was a force to be reckoned with. And yet somehow, she managed to hold onto that honest and gentle grace of hers, even in the heat of battle. Truly, it never failed to take the Ex-knights breath from his lungs when he caught sight Penelo mid fight.

Not only that, but Penelo was by far the easiest member of their small band of rag tag crusaders to speak with. So open and friendly, Basch found himself enjoying her company more than anyone else, although the Ex-knight would never admit aloud, especially in such close company.

The petite blonde truly had an amazing ability. She could converse about anything and everything, without ever repeating herself or becoming insufferably boring. She instinctively knew when to talk, how to talk and most importantly when not to talk. Unlike her childhood friend Vaan, whose mouth had the most unfortunate habit of running away with itself at the most inopportune moments. Basch even thought that Penelo's verbal prowess somehow surpassed that of the Lady Ashe, whose constant worries over her seemingly unending helplessness did nothing for the group's morale and -more often than not- bored him to tears.

Not that he would ever voice such an opinion.

But that was not to say the younger girl did not listen, for Penelo was often as quiet, as she was talkative. She was patient, never interrupted and somehow managed to remember the smallest of details of what had been said, even if said details had been mere mentions three weeks prior. It was a marvel indeed, one that Basch had supposed she had learned from her many years running errands for the shopkeeper Migelo. Or perhaps it stemmed from living in and around the rougher parts of The Royal City, having to constantly keep her wits about her.

Penelo could also be amazingly astute. Whenever there was a plan to be hatched or problem to be solved, time and time again she proved her maturity and knowledge of things were far beyond that of anyone her own age.

It was fair to say that by the time they had traversed the Golomore Jungle, Basch had become extremely fond of the young girl. Everything Penelo did somehow inspired such feelings of hope and wonder, from the older man, feelings Basch had not felt in many years. It was no wonder he felt so incredibly drawn to her, such was the power of her simple, honest grace. Though there were times were Basch found his eyes resting upon her for longer periods than considered decent. However, he thought nothing of it, and convinced himself that he was merely concerned for her well being.

For if there was one person-other than his royal charge- that he would happily lay down his life for, it was the young dancer from Rabanastre.

In hindsight, Basch realised that these over protective urges alone ought to have been enough to at least signal to the Ex-Knight that some other much more worrying and troublesome emotions were bubbling under the surface. But then hindsight is, as they say a 'twenty/ twenty art', and when dealing with the future, only the few can claim to ever see it perfectly.

How could he have known what was to transpire after the brutal attack on the temple atop Mt Bur-Omisace?

For after the attack Penelo had fallen into a still silence. It had pained the Ex-knight deeply to see the usually bright and radiant young lady so quiet and sullen. Worryingly so in fact, to the point Basch could no longer bear to stand aside and watch her suffer.

Hence, the Ex-knight had gone to her that cursed night, intent on imparting words of comfort and support. Hoping they would sound neither patronising nor hollow. Though Basch may not have been that skilled in the art of giving consolation as he was with a broad sword, the older soldier was resolute. He would find a way to console the delightful young woman. For Basch knew in his heart, that had the situation been reversed, Penelo would go to any lengths to comfort him. It was, in Basch's opinion, the very least he could do.

Whilst Basch's motives for comforting Penelo had started off purely altruistic and pure in intent, the outcome, however, was undeniably selfish and shockingly reprehensible.

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R+R please.


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Disclaimer: Roses are red and scarlet too. I own nothing here, so please don't sue!

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**The Folly of Basch fon Ronsenburg**

(2)

_Mt. Bur-Omisace: the night after the bombing..._

Basch found the smaller blonde sat in one of their tents on her own, huddled up in a blanket with her head peeking out. Her white teeth chattered from sharp chill of the cold night air. Penelo had set the tent right at the mouth of the encampment, near to where the various vendors and merchants were situated. The older man knew she had done so in case any of her cohorts were in need of her healing hands, as was the case during and after a hunt.

Basch slipped into the tent, albeit a little clumsily, and sat down, shivering beside her. It was a little known fact that the former Captain was not fond of the cold. So much so, it had been one of the many reasons Basch had favoured Dalmasca as his new home after he had fled Landis. Evidently someone else, unbeknownst to him, had uncovered this small fact, and before the ex-knight knew it, he had been ensnared within Penelo's thick, woollen blanket. Basch, having been caught quite off guard, had started to voice his objections to her kind gesture, but thought better of it when he caught a familiar, foreboding glint in her pale blue eyes. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine that had nothing to do with their current surroundings. Thus the elder blond wisely reconsidered his concerns and remained huddled beside her.

Not that he truly minded of course, for whom in their right mind would not wish to be wrapped up with such temperate person as Penelo?

"My thanks." He murmured politely.

Penelo merely nodded her blonde head, only to let it rest upon his well muscled shoulder a moment later. Basch noted, rather guiltily, the slight pressure of her head against his arm felt remarkably good. It was a while again before they spoke, both lost in their own thoughts. However, Basch, reminded of his mission, soon found his wits and broke the silence.

"Though it may not seem so, after all the needless death we have witnessed this day, and after all our previous efforts seem to have been made in vain… I promise you here and now, that someday, after we few souls have done what is needed, then I promise you this world will right itself again."

The young lady sighed heavily and nuzzled into his shoulder.

"I know Basch." Penelo muttered softly. "But just being here, seeing what's happened, and the thought of what's going to happen if we don't find away to stop all this-" She stopped suddenly and drew a shaky breath. "I guess I just feel so powerless, you know? I mean I-, that we couldn't stop all those people…"

Her words trailed off and if there were any more, they were engulfed by the howling winds. It was then Basch tore his arm away from Penelo, who looked up at him with startled and surprised eyes, only to have it wrap around her. He then pulled the girl to him and gave her a warm, hearty hug. Basch couldn't help but inwardly smile as he felt the young woman relax in his embrace.

"What's done is done. You cannot blame yourself for what has happened, no matter how much you may think your presence would've affected the outcome. All we can do now is look forward." He replied sagely. It was something he had told and been told many a time, something that never failed to ring true, even at the most bleak of times.

Basch paused for a moment to allow her time to retort or question his words. But she when she didn't, he continued on.

"The task we have been entrusted with is neither easy, nor for the faint of heart." He expelled a heavy breath and looked out into the bleak surroundings. "And it is also true that we may yet falter and fail…"

He felt her back stiffen and her muscles tense.

Basch had never treated her as if she were a child, nor would he ever do so. Therefore, depressive spell or not, he would not play down the situation they had found themselves in. Nor would he patronise her with empty promises. The unfortunate truth was their future, as well as Ivalice's, hung by a single frayed thread. Failure meant the end of everything either of them had known. And failure at that point, was unfortunately a very real possibility, especially if Basch's own track record was anything to go by.

Basch let his eyes fall back to the girl beside him. He felt the start of a smile tug at his lips. Even then in the darkest of times, Penelo still somehow managed to fill him with a sense of hope, and hope was something that in the long run could make or break their quest.

"However, I have yet to see you of all people falter or fail." Basch smiled warmly, and gave her another gentle squeeze. "Have faith."

A small chuckle escaped her lips, as Basch her lithe arms wound themselves around his sturdy form. The ex-knight would've been taken aback, had the gesture not caused such a pleasurably warm feeling to swell from within his chest.

"I wish I was strong like you." She mumbled pleasantly and good-naturedly butted her head against his broad chest.

Basch could not help but stare down at the young blonde in disbelief. How could she think such a thing possible? In all his years he had never encountered a more courageous and capable young woman, and yet she saw herself as weak? Perhaps the comment was spawned from the grief and exhaustion the day had wrought, however something inside Basch could not abide it. He could not rest until Penelo realised just how strong she was.

"You have strength, more than you would have yourself believe. If there is, but one truth you should garner from my words this eve, then let it be this. You are strong, in more ways than I could ever hope to be. Never let yourself believe any different." Basch enthused without an ounce of shame.

For every word he spoke was filled with firm, stout conviction. How could they not? For in his mind, at that moment, there was no greater truth. He softened and allowed himself the rare opportunity to brush a few rebellious strands of soft blonde hair from her gem like eyes. However, Basch found he could not tear his fingers away. Instead the ex-knight let his callused tips glide softly down her cheek to capture her perfectly formed chin, and tilt it gently upward. When she met his own gaze he spoke with a passion that he was surprised he still possessed.

"We will succeed or die trying. It is all we can do Penelo…"

Penelo let out an audible gasp and stared up at him, mouth slightly agape. Her eyes wide and cheeks flushed, rendered speechless at the startling confidence he had shown in her. Perhaps, had the situation been different, the older man would've have openly expressed his mirth at the young blonde's priceless expression. Instead, Basch found he could not help observe how truly striking the young dancer from Low Town really was.

'I like it when you say my name like that." Penelo breathed. "Makes me feel I could take on the Empire all by myself.

In the spirit of the moment, Basch cupped her small face in his bear like hands, and placed a small kiss upon her brow. He felt her giggle slightly at the scratchy feel of his unkempt beard against her soft skin, and beamed up at him. Unexpectedly, Penelo carefully reached out one of her own delicate hands towards his own face. Slowly, he felt her delicate fingers trace along his scared brow, then downwards to stroke his bearded cheek.

So astoundingly soothing was the young dancer's touch, that Basch could not help but unconsciously lean into it. However as he did so, Basch felt a delicious jolt run through his entire body. Had the older man been in the right frame of mind, perhaps he might've realised how inappropriate such a thing was and severed there connection right then and there.

But he did not.

Instead all the Ex-knight was aware of was the young woman.

Suddenly, all of his focus was drawn to the warmth of her skin, the scent of her hair and the woefully short distance between Penelo's petal like lips and his own. Nothing else. It was as if an ancient lever inside his chest had been pulled, and released a long forgotten dense haze to envelope the older man mans inhibitions completely.

Basch felt himself draw closer to her, albeit tentatively so, till he fancied he could feel her own quickened breath upon his check. But, before he could give into his most selfish desire, the warm haze cleared from his mind. The spell that had seemingly been cast upon him was broken by the sound of their companion's loud return.

Suddenly, as if scolded by the very fires of hell, Basch tore himself away from their close embrace, stunned by the severity of what had very nearly occurred. His voice failed him, as the Ex-knight tried desperately to beg forgiveness from the sweet girl he so nearly...

However, before he could voice his upmost apologies to Penelo, she had already leapt out of the tent to tend to her friends. Basch felt the bottom of his stomach drop out and his blood run cold. Instead of following her, and greeting their companions, he slumped in the tent, and wished the frozen ground would swallow him whole.

What had he done?

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(A/N: Thank you very much for all of you who read and enjoyed the last chapter, especially Songlian who gave me such a glowing review. I only hope this chapter has lived up to your expectations. So until next time... ja matte ne!)

R+R please :D


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